


The Prince and the Warlock

by FamiliarFan



Category: Gravity Falls
Genre: Alternate Universe - Swan Princess (1994) Fusion, Deals, Love at First Sight, Lust at First Sight, Magic-Users, Multi, One-Sided Attraction, Rating May Change, So Many Plot Twists, Unrequited Love
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-10-25
Updated: 2017-07-03
Packaged: 2018-08-24 13:29:38
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 4
Words: 17,376
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8373961
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FamiliarFan/pseuds/FamiliarFan
Summary: Prince Dipper was use to being over-shadowed by his sister. It never bothered him, per se, but he wanted to be recognized from time to time. No, Bill, that doesn't give you permission to kidnap the poor boy...





	1. The Prologue

There once was a land that few remember, and those who do speak of it in whispers. It once held great power and mystery, and was rumored to harbor a great secret that could destroy the known world. There once was a terrible man who harnessed a dark magic who attempted to unlock the land’s secret and bring ruin, and yet no matter how many times he tried the magic was too powerful for him to overcome. A vast forest covered this ominous land, and it was filled with magical creatures and unforgiving curses. The forest was lush and beautiful, but it guarded the terrible secret and fought against the man who failed to tame it. Eventually the man caved in and his single attempts to overthrow the beings of the forest halted.

 

And he waited.

 

Time passed and slowly the rumors spread of the untamed magical forest. Brave warriors and curious adventurers sought out the infamous land, and the survivors returned with even more tales to weave of the impossible dangers they faced. Each story that was told was more exciting and enthralling than the next, but most people knew that to venture into the enchanted forest was foolish. 

 

Until one day, twin brothers stepped forward. One brother was strong and a quick thinker, being clever in the arts of trickery. The other brother had great knowledge and insight, knowing the fine arts of magic. Both brothers were intrigued by the enchanted forest. As dangerous as the stories made the land sound, the brothers knew there was more to the forest than fame and fortune.

 

With their heads held high the twins ventured into the unknown with no ill intent. One brother planned to protect them from the traps and monsters, while the other brother planned to study the woods and creatures within. Time passed and the villages nearby the forest assumed the worst, making shallow, empty graves for the lost twin brothers.

 

But something unexpected happened. The forest, with thick, natural barriers protecting itself from the outside world, started to wither away. The darkness from the thick trees lit up, and the once intimidating forest became inviting.

 

None of the people expected this to happen so suddenly. When the villagers gathered around the edge of the forest, the twin brothers appeared.

 

No longer were they clothes in their tattered clothes, but were dressed in fine silks and jewels unlike the villagers had ever seen. When the intellectual brother spoke, his voice was booming and commanded respect. He explained that after their time spent in the enchanted forest, they learned to respect the creatures within, and to respect the earth itself for the trees were as sentient as the animals they shelter. Once the forest trusted the brothers, it showed them the terrible secret, and instead of ruin the brothers chose peace and prosperity. Because of this decision, the forest never wanted to part with the twins and granted them prolonged life and the power to rule. 

 

The villagers bowed, and welcomed their new kings; Stanford and Stanley, Kings of the Pines, and rulers of the land of Gravity Falls.

 

With the help of magic, the villagers and the two Kings built a grand castle and city, and soon wealth and prosperity came pouring into the city’s walls. Neighboring kingdoms heard of this new kingdom rising, and soon made alliances with the brothers. Time passed and the brothers hardly aged, much to the people’s pleasure. Their Kings were firm, fair, and just, and they could never part from them.

 

Yet, with all the luck and joy that their kingdom held, the brothers held were not completely honest with their devoted citizens. Understandably so, the twins failed to mention that their gifts would continue only if the two brothers and their descendants guarded the terrible secret. Below the castle grounds a labyrinth was carved from the earth, hiding the terrible secret unbeknownst to anyone but themselves. 

 

Fearful of one day their secret would be discovered, they hired an Oracle as part of their council. He was a weak but wise man, only using his power to aid the Kings in their final decisions on most affairs within their kingdoms politics and economy. Though Stanley did not trust the Oracle at first, Stanford befriended him quickly. They would battle in games of wit, have deep, philosophical discussions, and would aid each other in expanding their knowledge. Stanford saw no evil in the Oracle, and contemplated on letting the man know of the whereabouts of the labyrinth.

 

Stanley was right to not trust the Oracle. It was a still night and neither of the Kings could sleep. Feeling uneasy, Stanley urged his brother to come with him to check on the seal to the labyrinth below the castle. Deciding to humor his brother, Stanford agreed, and was forever changed.

 

The Oracle, his closest friend in his life, was no Oracle, but a Warlock. The man was using dark magic to try and force the seal open. The terrible man that started the legends was still alive and young, and had tricked the brothers so he could sneak his way to the well hidden labyrinth. When he attacked Stanford, Stanley blocked him and ended up scarred on his shoulder. Stanford used his all his rage and magic to banish the Warlock’s physical form from Gravity Falls.

 

The spell worked, but at a price. Stanley was fading from this world, so Stanford called upon the seal’s magic to bring his brother back, only to end up infused into the seal. Stanley awoke to see his brother’s body and spirit fade into the stone seal, and before he could comprehend what he witnessed, his brother was gone.

 

King Stanley was alone.

 

News of the murder of King Stanford broke the citizen’s hearts, and made them fear the outside world. King Stanley assured them that nothing bad would happen; the murderer was slain by his hand and would pay for his transgressions in the Underworld. Though the citizens listened to their strong King’s words, one question was starting to bother them as time passed.

 

If King Stanford was capable of leaving this plain, who would take the throne once King Stanley departed?

 

Luckily, the King had a niece, who blessed the kingdom with twins; a boy and a girl. King Stanley, still with the heavy burden of his brother’s death weighing on him, decided to take in his small, remaining family in hopes to build a brighter future.

 

And that is where the story truly begins…


	2. The Proposal

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This was hard for me to write for some reason.

Stan glanced around the ballroom as the royal court mingled with each other. It was mostly adults, with only a few young teenagers and children dressed up and expected to behave. Stan took a sip from his wine and inwardly grimaced at the strong taste. The wine warmed his belly as he felt his cheeks starting to flush, making note that he should cut back on the drinks for a bit. He sighed. These social events were always Ford’s thing, not his. Memories of taverns and pubs came flooding back, the noises of the current party dying down.

Oh, how he missed those days. He and Ford went through some tough times in their youth, but there was a sense of freedom before they took on their royal duties. It was an odd feeling. To be surrounded by such regality that looked upon him with such respect with the kind of past he had… If they all knew the things he has done, would they still look up to him? Stan shook his head and downed the rest of his drink. Now was not the time nor the place for those kind of thoughts.

“Besides, tonight isn’t about me…” He grumbled to himself.

“Pardon me, your Excellency, but who are you speaking to?” The arrogant voice startled Stan, but he didn’t show it. He turned to the source and was not surprised to see Preston, King of Astoria.

Stan gave a curt nod. “Ah, Preston. So glad you could come to the party.” He had to refrain himself from rolling his eyes. Stan placed his drink down on a passing empty tray and gave thanks to the servant.

“Of course I would come. It’s the birthday of this grand kingdom’s future queen and prince. I would not miss this for the world.”

Stan did roll his eyes at the comment. “They just turned two, Preston. You don’t need to be so formal.”

“Speaking of your grandniece and grandnephew, where are they?” Preston continued, ignoring Stan’s comment. “I would expect them to attend their own party. Or for Princess Amelia to be present on their behalf. How is your niece, my King?”

“She’s doing fine. Just taking care of the kids.” Stan grunted in annoyance. “They’ll be down here soon.” He looked around the ballroom. “Speaking of family, where’s your wife and kid?”

“My Queen fell ill last minute, and I left my daughter in the care of the Governess. My apologies that they couldn’t attend, but they do send their warmest regards.” Preston’s smile was strained, but Stan didn’t care. This was his home, and he preferred to be blunt and to the point with his speech. If that bothered the prissy man before him it was his own fault, or so the King thought to himself. Stan grabbed another drink despite his better judgement. Talking to someone like Preston was easier with alcohol. He took a huge gulp, feeling his tongue becoming looser with every drop of the dark liquid.

“That’s a shame. I hired a conjurer to entertain the little ones. But I guess there’s always next year.” Stan shrugged.

Preston coughed into his fist, clearing his throat. “Actually, Sire, I was wondering if I could talk to you in private. After I greet the guests of honor, of course.”

Stan narrowed his eyes at the man. Preston was the sort of person who wasn’t known for being benign; an act of kindness was usually followed up by something the mustached King wanted in return. “If you are going to pester me again about the territories in the east, you can forget it. Now is not the time to bring that up.”

Preston chuckled. “Oh, no, nothing like that. It is something entirely different, I can assure you.”

“You’re looking awfully handsome tonight, your Majesty.” A southern twang of a voice interrupted the conversation. Stan inwardly groaned as he turned his attention to a portly and tall man with a balding head and a cheery grin. Though the Lord of Medford looked charming, much like Preston, he was untrustworthy.

‘Damn these formalities.’ “Lord Gleeful, how nice to see you. I hope the journey here wasn’t too much of a hassle.” Stan gritted out with a fake smile.

Preston cleared his throat toward the bigger man. “Lord Gleeful, I did not expect you to be here. I was having a private conversation with his Majesty, King Pines. If you give us a few moments alone you will be welcome to talk to us later.” Preston stared down at Bud Gleeful with a slight sneer.

“If this was a private conversation, you two wouldn’t be out in the open in the middle of a wonderful party. Right, your Majesty?” Bud looked at Stan expectantly. Stan grunted, not in the mood for their false flattery. The Lord seemed genuine, but the past decade proved that he was as much of a threat as Preston could be.

Preston sniffed. “I would not expect you to understand, Lord Gleeful. One does not simply cut into the middle of a conversation without proper etiquette. But things are much more lax in your land, I would not be surprised if this is all news to you.”

‘And there it is…’ Stan took another long sip, gulping down the drink and enjoying the lingering sensation trickling down his throat and throughout his body.

Bud glared for a split second before smiling again. “I wanted to give my congratulations and enjoy a nice conversation, yet here I am being accused of poor manners? I didn’t think you would be one jump to such hasty conclusions. As much as you think you can, you can’t have his Majesty all to yourself.”

“For some reason, I highly doubt that is the only reason you are here. Then again, I am surprised you are even here.”

“And why wouldn’t I be? I may be a Lord, but my history with Gravity Falls has been nothing but economically gratifying, unlike some people I know.”

“Look, as much as I enjoy watching you two get into an eventual slap fight,” Stan stated sarcastically, “why don’t we all go into my study later and discuss what you two really want. I’m not in the mood for being caught in a tug-o-war.” The two men stopped their bickering and brought their attention to the King once more, annoyed with the one another. “Now, if you’ll excuse me, my family has just arrived.”

Stan turned around and didn’t bother looking back on Bud or Preston. For men who claimed that they held high standards and a long history of power, they acted like children whenever they tried to win his favor. Of all the people attending the party tonight, Stan’s luck would have him stuck with two guests he despised. Though he loved his niece, he really should have been more firm with who was invited and who was not, especially if there was bad blood between certain kingdoms. If there wasn’t a truce between the three of them, neither would be in the same room together.

The old king’s sour mood lightened when he saw his niece holding onto the twins’ hands. She looked beautiful and serene, managing to keep her children close to her and behaving. Usually the two rascals would be jumping all over the place, but tonight two pairs of chocolate eyes scanned the room with curiosity. Amelia was dressed in a pale rose gown while her daughter was dressed in a bright lavender dress and her son in a robin’s egg suit. The bright colors brought attention to the two toddlers, making the young girl giggle and the little boy hide his face in his mother’s skirt.

“Hey, hey, hey!” Stan opened his arms. “How are my favorite little ones doing?” He chuckled as the two snapped their heads to him and smiled. The two waddled over to him as he crouched down and hugged Mabel and Mason. He felt their tiny fists clutch to his royal robes as he squeezed them in a tight hug. “Look at you two. So grown up already! Amelia, put bricks on their heads so they stop growing.”

The young woman laughed. “Uncle Stan, you say that everyday.” She walked over as the boy and girl let go from the hug and came back to her sides.

Stan laughed as he stood up straight. “True, but today is their special day, so I mean it with even more seriousness!”

Amelia smiled. “Sorry we were late. This little guy didn’t want to put on pants.”

Stan chuckled again. “Don’t worry about it. That’s just typical toddler stuff. I’d be concerned if he tried that twenty years from now.”

Amelia shook her head. “You say the strangest things…” She looked down at her two children. “Are you two ready to open presents?” The girl jumped up and down excitedly while the boy nodded and hid his head in the skirts again. “Okay, well, let’s head this way…” As she lead the children to the two seats set up for them, Stan prepared for his speech.

It was nothing too special in Stan’s opinion. Just a formal speech about how the two future rulers of the kingdom were reaching another year, and how promising their reign would be when they came of age. Stan wasn’t really into the speech, it still made no sense to him why he was obligated to make a huge deal of such a young birthday. However, he learned last year when he didn’t invite the country to his home to celebrate their first birthday, in favor of a small get-together with close family and friends, that the royal court took such small things very seriously. One would think he murdered someone with how badly everyone reacted. The reaction was so bad that Stan had discreetly been searching for a Royal Advisor to help him learn “the ropes” of the flowery court before him. This year he did relatively fine, but who was to say he would mess up again. A polite applause echoed in the massive room, meaning he did okay. But the nerves were frayed and he swore to himself would find an advisor soon.

After the speech, all the guests gathered in a line of sorts and presented the twins with their gifts while giving congrats and thanks to Princess Amelia and King Stan. Stan relaxed as the attention was brought to the toddlers, able to calm his nerves. No one seemed to notice, much to his relief. Mabel didn’t seem to mind the attention, but Mason was shy and took forever opening his gifts. After this they would present the cake and the party would continue for a few more hours before everyone left, which Stan couldn’t wait for.

His train of thought was interrupted once again when he saw Preston and Bud stroll up to him. He hefted a heavy sigh and turned to his niece. “Sweetie, I promised these two knuckle heads I would speak to them. Think you’re going to be okay on your own?”

Amelia spotted the two and nodded, understanding. “We’ll be fine. Just don’t take too long.” She winked.

Stan kissed her temple and met with the two. They waited expectantly, and Stan raised a brow. As far as he knew, only Preston wanted to speak with him. Shrugging, he readied himself for whatever odd request they had. He was most likely going to turn them down, but he figured he would at least throw them a bone. “Funny, I thought Preston wanted to have a word with me.”

“Well, after you left, we talked and realized we both wanted to talk about the same thing, in a matter of speaking, your Grace.” Bud grinned.

“I hope the three of us conversing will settle things over instead of arguing.” Preston piped in, looking disgruntled yet stood proud.

Stan stared at the two. “Ah, what the heck. At least no wars are breaking out in my ballroom.” Stan joked, but grimaced at the poor excuse of polite laughter from the other two. The air was thick with tension. “Right… Gentlemen, follow me.”

The three left the ballroom, walking up the stairs and heading down the long halls of the castle. They walked in silence for about five minutes before they reached a door at the end of the left wing. Stan opened it, revealing a room with plush, leather furniture and decor to match. A large liquor cabinet stood against the wall, and Stan made a beeline for it.

He opened the glass doors and grabbed a crystal bottle of bourbon, pouring it into three matching glasses. “So.. what did you two want to talk about?” Stan seated himself in an armchair, sloshing his drink leisurely as he waited.

The other two men grabbed their respected glasses and sat opposite of the king. Bud took a long sip as Preston spoke. “As you know, my daughter is around the same age as your grandnephew and grandniece.”

Bud gulped. “And my wife is carrying child, which the midwife says will be a boy.”

Stan set down his drink after taking a sip and nodded, guessing where this was leading. “Go on.”

Bud looked at Preston. “After you left, King Northwest and I talked it over, and we were thinking about setting up an arrangement.”

“No.” Stan deadpanned.

Preston and Bud’s eyes widened. Preston cleared his throat. “Excuse me?”

Stan stood up, taking his drink with him, and stared out the window. “Look, I know you guys are use to arranged marriages and what not, but I’m not going to force anyone from my family to be in a loveless marriage. I know you two probably have a million and one reasons why you think it’s a good idea, but I firmly believe that these kids deserve the best, and that means picking their own spouse if they so choose to marry.”

Preston and Bud were quiet for a moment, silently staring between themselves and the stubborn man before them. Preston stood up and walked over to Stan. “Perhaps it won’t be official, but what if we do something different?”

Stan turned, confused. “What do you mean?”

Preston gave a sly grin. “What if our children grew up with one another. We can set it up so they visit each other every summer. They can be friends with one another, and if romantic feelings develop, then we already have planned how to divide the land and wealth.”

Bud stood, excitement in his eyes at Preston’s quick thinking. “It doesn’t have to mean our children are betrothed, but if nothing romantic happens, they at least have good connections with one another. That being our kingdoms will have stronger bonds with one another. And your grandniece and grandnephew are guaranteed friends. Yes, we have a truce now, but think about this. It benefits all of us to secure a strong future.”

Stan was quiet, thinking of what they were saying. Bud was right; there was no war right now, and the relationships between their lands was hanging on a thread simply because none of the adults really got along, to put it lightly. The more he thought about it, the more Stan realized that it wasn’t a terrible idea. It wasn’t an official engagement, so he wasn’t going back on his word, but if romance did happen…

“Alright, I accept.” Bud and Preston grinned. “But we will not force anything. It will happen naturally. So no foul play. Trust me,” Stan rubbed the stone on his ring as a warning. “I’ll know.”

Preston stared at the stone warily, but Bud held out his hand. “You got yourself a deal, Sire.”

Stan shook his hand, then stared at Preston. “Well?”

Preston shook his hand. “Gentlemen, I hope for the best in the future.”

Stan finished his drink with the other two, making small talk and lightly taking about potential plans for the future if their children marry off to the other. None of it was serious chat, the three of them inebriated at the moment, but he made sure he would remember this conversation in the morning. He just hoped he made the right choice.


	3. Childhood

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Growing up is never easy, and nothing turns out the way you planned it to.

It was never easy making friends. Even for children, friendship can be a tricky thing for some to accomplish on their own. Mabel and Dipper were lucky and had each other, but there were no other children their age in their home. They were either too old to play with or were on the other side of the castle gates. Their great uncle and mother encouraged them to play with the children, but the villagers were wary of having their children play rough with the heirs to the throne. So this special trip to a neighboring kingdom brought curiosity and hope, especially to the young prince. 

 

The young children’s excitement could not overcome how boring the journey was. The family tried to pass the time by playing games, but the mood changed once the alabaster castle of Astoria came into view. The smell of the sea filled Dipper's senses as he poked his head out of the carriage window, his twin copying him on the other side. It was a beautiful kingdom; the ocean was a calm, deep blue, and the sandy beach seemed to stretch out forever. The town was large with bustling streets and open markets, the people wearing colorful clothes that were light and flowing. It was like nothing Dipper had ever seen before.

 

“Mommy! Can we explore the market?” Mabel chirped. Dipper retreated back into the stuffy carriage with a large and hopeful grin.

 

Their mother smiled. “We will see what the King and Queen have planned for us first. We are here for the whole summer, so I don’t see why not.”

 

Dipper stretched and his eyes wandered back outside the carriage window again. The castle was coming closer and he felt butterflies in his stomach. Though he and his sister had a hard time meeting children their age, Mabel was known to be the social one. Dipper was slightly jealous of his sister’s charisma. He felt smalls buds of anxiety build in his stomach at the approaching castle gates. This summer trip was the first time he would be so far from his little study, which held his precious books, ink wells, and parchments. He hoped that maybe could make a friend this time, like their Mother promised when the servants were packing their bags. He let out a short sigh.

 

Mabel noticed and crawled on the plush seats. “What’s the matter, Bro-Bro?”

 

“Mabel, honey, don’t crawl on the cushions.” Their mother scolded. Mabel blushed in embarrassment and squeaked when Amelia scooped her up and had her sit next to Dipper. “The craftsman who made this carriage worked very hard, so we don’t want to ruin them. Okay?”

 

“Okay, Mommy.” Mabel smooched at their mother, and received a light laugh and a kiss to her head. Then Mabel turned to her brother. “What’s wrong?”

 

Dipper bit his lip and looked down. “What if no one likes me?”

 

“Oh, honey, you wouldn’t love you?.” His mother spoke gently. She knew this was a tough topic for her son. “You are my darling and brilliant son; I’m sure Princess Pacifica and Lord Gideon would love to be your friends.”

 

“Yeah! My brother is the best brother in the whole world!” Mabel cheered.”They would have to be dum-dums not to like you!”

 

Dipper gave a small smile and giggled as his sister tackled him into a hug. Their mother half-heartedly scolded the two but couldn’t help but laugh herself at her children’s antics. Still, Dipper had his doubts. 

 

Once the carriage stopped, Princess Amelia straightened out her children’s clothes. “Now remember: This isn’t our home. The rules here may be different, so remember your manners and always be courteous to the staff. And if the King or Queen tell you not to jump on something, or not to stay up late, you listen to them. I’ll be here, so don’t worry.” Then she kissed their foreheads.

 

“Yes, Mommy.” The twins spoke in unison.

 

The coachman opened the door, helping the Royal Family out onto the ground. The day was bright, making the castle reflect the sunlight. At first it was hard to look at. Dipper squinted his eyes and let out a small yawn. The courtyard was lush with exotic plants that were strange and beautiful. The fountain in the center was a work of art, and water ran down the backs of the merfolk sculpted from the marble. Strange birds, peacocks if Dipper remembered correctly, roamed freely on the grounds with their gorgeous feathers blending in with the grass. In the courtyard stood the King and Queen, both grinning. Next to the King and Queen was a young girl with blonde hair and a small pout. Her face twitched in pain for a moment, Dipper not missing the pinch from the Queen, before the blonde princess gave a small smile. Dipper didn’t like it; it all seemed too fake and didn’t feel right to him. He felt like he wanted to back home already, but his Mother was blocking the way. 

 

“Hold my hands, little ones.” His mother grabbed onto their wrists, gently getting her point across. Dipper held her hand obediently while Mabel hesitated with a pout. They let their mother lead them toward the royals of Astoria. 

 

“Good day, Princess Amelia.” The King boasted out, bowing slightly, his wife dipping into a curtsy. “Welcome to our fair kingdom. We hope your stay here is enjoyable.” 

 

“Good day, King Preston and Queen Priscilla.” Their mother let go of their hands to curtsy, Mabel and Dipper following her movements. Dipper heard a snicker and snapped back up, blushing from embarrassment. “It’s okay, honey. Just bow next time.” His mother whispered to him, making him hide his face in his hands. His mother cleared her throat. “It is an honour staying in your castle for the summer. I apologize for my uncle, the King, who could not make it.”

 

Preston held up his hand and chuckled. “That’s quite alright, my Lady.” He looked down to his daughter and motioned her to step forward. “This is my daughter, Princess Pacifica.”

 

“She is a beautiful young lady, my Lord.” Their mother beamed. “This is my son, Prince Mason, and this is my daughter, Princess Mabel.” 

 

The two stepped forward, or Dipper stepped forward hesitantly and Mabel sprinted across the courtyard toward Pacifica. This caught the blonde girl off guard as she was pulled into a tight hug from his sister. “Hi! I’m Mabel!”

 

The girl struggled out of the grasp. “Mabel sounds like an old lady’s name.” She yelped and rubbed her elbow, her mother looking down at her disapprovingly. “I guess Mabel is a… nice name.”

 

“Thanks!” Mabel laughed nervously, tugging at the sleeve of her pink dress. “This is my brother, Dipper. We’re twins!”

 

“Dipper?” The blonde looked over to the boy as he came up hesitantly.

 

He grinned sheepishly. “Um, yeah. That’s my nickname. But you don’t have to call me that if you don’t want to, Princess.”

 

“Dipper,” Dipper looked up to see his mother motioning toward Pacifica. “ Like we practiced.”

 

Dipper felt nervous as he approached the blonde girl. She gave him a snooty look, but one glance at her mother had her hold out her hand expectantly. Dipper held it and kissed the back of her hand quickly, feeling his face flush as his sister laughed. “Nice to meet you, Princess.”

 

The girl scoffed. “Nice to meet you too, I guess.”

 

The conversation stopped as another carriage pulled up. The Pines royal carriage was made of finely polished wood and accented with maroon and bits of gold in a modest way. But this carriage was a light blue with white satin and gold in a gaudy display. Mabel awed at it’s tacky splendor while Dipper and Pacifica made a face at it. The coachman hopped off the seat once it came to a stop, opening the door. A large man with a cherry nose came out with a large smile.

 

“Hello, everyone!” He tipped his wide brimmed hat and stepped down. “Your Majesties, it is wonderful to see you all again. Last time we saw each other was during my lil boy’s christening. Speaking of who-” the large man stepped to the side, revealing a small boy, about three years of age, with white hair that poofed up in and well groomed, and rosy dimpled cheeks making his little smile even more charming. His baby blue suit matched the carriage. “Say hello to my little treasure, Prince Gideon!”

 

“Prince?” Amelia muttered, looking confused.

 

“What do you mean by that, Lord Gleeful?” Preston’s smile turned into a set frown. His wife did her best to keep her smile pristine.

 

“Now, now, I know there might be some confusion.” The man pulled down his hat and bowed his head, showing off his bald spot. “My brother-in-law unfortunately passed away, and with no one else to take his place, the crown was bestowed upon me. It happened just before we left Medford, so I can’t make it official until after the summer.”

 

“Hm, how convenient.” Preston muttered. 

 

The large man’s mourning face flipped to a cheerful grin. “But once I get that crown on my head, I will be known as King Bud of Medford!”

 

The royal court clapped politely, the children awkwardly clapping to mimic their parents. Amelia was the first to speak. “I’m sorry to hear of your loss, but I’m happy you could make it. These are my children, Prince Mason and Princess Mabel.”

 

“And this is our daughter, Princess Pacifica.”

 

“Well aren’t you all too cute!” Bud cooed at the children. “Gideon,” He turned to his son who was lightly holding onto his robes. “Come, say hello to your new friends.”

 

The large man led his son to the other children. Mabel went over straight away to the smaller child, though she gave him a gentle hug. “Aw, he’s so wittle~”

 

The boy giggled and hugged her back. “I like you.”

 

“I like you too, Lil’ Gideon!” Mabel smiled at the smaller boy.

 

Preston cleared his throat to gather their attention. “Well, we’re just happy you showed up. The family of Gravity Falls is here, and the family of Medford is here, so why don’t we come inside for some refreshments. It’s not an easy road to our kingdom, so I’m sure you are all famished…”

 

Preston continued to talk as he moved toward the castle. The children walked along with their parents up the stairs. Mabel kept asking Bud if she could hold Gideon, which the unofficial King was flattered but declined, and Dipper looked toward Pacifica. She, like he expected, ignored him. 

 

He sighed. ‘Something tells me this won’t be easy.’

 

\---

 

Dipper watched solemnly as the alabaster castle shrank in the distance. All summer Pacifica either made fun of him, calling him by the nickname Dipstick, or ignored him. She had a friendly rivalry starting with Mabel, but at least Mabel was able to keep up, and the girls could do activities together when the boys and girls were separated for their summer lessons. The blonde princess had no interest in the young prince, despite him trying his best to act like the best prince he could be.

 

Then there was Gideon. He was only three years old, but he was already manipulating everyone to his whims. He was too charming to the staff, so whenever he had a tantrum he would get his way. Mabel absolutely loved the little guy and would play dress up with him, leading him to get attached to her. Dipper wouldn’t have minded if Gideon wasn’t always giving him a dirty look and finding some excuse to get Dipper away. Pacifica even tolerated him and would sometimes read to the white haired child when Mabel was busy doing something else.

 

Dipper felt alone all summer. Mabel tried to get him to play with the others, but they seemed to reject him any chance they got. He was a clumsy boy with a nervous stutter who preferred quiet study time or exploring the castle grounds, and when he tried stepping out of those boundaries the two children wouldn’t give him a chance.

 

The sun was starting to set, casting the landscape in colors of pink and gold. The castle was gone now, and the smell of the ocean no longer wafted to his nose. Dipper closed his eyes and tried to forget the lonely summer.

 

“Cheer up, bro-bro.” Mabel brought his thoughts back to the present. “It wasn’t so bad. We got to do a lot of cool stuff this summer! We learned how to swim, and we got to feed peasnocks-”

 

“Peacocks.” Dipper corrected.

 

“-and we got to learn how to fish, and we got to explore a whole new castle!” Mabel hugged her brother. “We’ll go back again, right Mommy?”

 

“Well, yes and no, Mabel.” Their mother yawned. “Next year we are going to Prince Gideon’s home, then they can come to our home, and so on and so forth.”

 

Dipper felt cold sweat start up.”What? But-but I thought this was just a one time thing!”

 

“So we really do get to see them again?” Mabel grinned and sat up.

 

Their mother smiled at them and nodded. “Yes, so don’t worry, Dipper. I know this summer wasn’t easy, but you can try again next year.”

 

Dipper groaned and Mabel cheered.

 

\---

 

Medford was very different from both Gravity Falls and Astoria. Gravity Falls had lush forests and streams bursting with magic. Astoria had beautiful ocean shores and a pleasant weather year round. Medford was farmlands, thin woods, and flat plains, and at first glance it held little in comparison to the two other kingdoms. But what the landscape lacked in visuals the people made up for in culture and character. The vibe was peaceful, laid back, and very comforting, almost like visiting a childhood home that bursted with a nostalgic air. And Dipper, for the life of him, couldn’t understand how such a little deviant like Gideon Gleeful came from such a delightful country.

 

This year was the second that neither parents came to supervise Mabel, Dipper, and Pacifica. The three were nine years old and capable of behaving themselves without their parents being present. Bud was an understanding and patient man with the children, so the other parents trusted that the man could handle all four children on his own.

 

Unfortunately, Bud tended to turn a blind eye to his own son. 

 

Dipper knew from the very first summer they spent together. And because he knew and tried to expose the seven year old, Gideon would make sure that every visit was miserable for the young prince. Today was no different.

 

It started with a riding lesson; Bud would have the children practice riding the horses at least four times a week, deeming it not only a useful skill but also a good bonding experience. He was aware that Gideon took a liking to the Princess of Gravity Falls, but the Princess of Astoria was still cold toward the other prince. And so, the four would find themselves traveling down the dirt trails and across the grassy plains surrounded by the snow covered mountains. 

 

“Children, I need you to stay on the path this time. Once we get to the clearing y’all can practice running some of the courses.  Is that clear?” Bud spoke over his shoulder. He heard a murmur of a response and he frowned. “Ahem, I said ‘Is that clear?’.”

 

“Yes, King Bud.”

 

“Yes, Daddy.”

 

Bud smiled. “Good.” He flicked his wrists and the horse trotted forward, leaving the children behind a bit with the royal guards as their escorts. “I’ll meet y’all when you get there.” When the man was out of earshot, the blonde princess groaned.

 

“This is so stupid.” Pacifica pouted. “It’s too early for horseback riding. Why do we have to do this? My thighs are already sore.”

 

“Aw, come on, Pacifica.” Mabel grinned and elbowed her frenemy. “I think this is kind of cool. We’re learning how to ride horses like the brave knights who defend us! Not everyone gets to ride the courses.”

 

“But I’m not a knight. I’m never going to go off the trails, I’m never going to war, and I’m never going to compete in a stupid horse competition. When am I ever going to use these stupid skills?”

 

“Well, you never know.” Dipper piped in. Pacifica turned to glare at him and he stuttered. “I-I mean, what if you’re ambushed or something? I think these skills would help…”

 

“Dipper’s right!” Pacifica turned to Mabel with a raised brow. “You can’t always expect everything is going to go your way. You have to be prepared.”

 

Gideon rode up between the two princesses, cutting Dipper off. “Well, I for one am happy to learn these skills with you lovely ladies.” He batted his eyelashes at Mabel. “And I would be happy to save you, my Princess.”

 

Mabel laughed and blushed. “Gideon! That’s so sweet of you. But I can take care of myself.” She pulled up the sleeve of her dress and flexed her arm. A small lump of muscle hardened. “See? Look how strong I am!”

 

Pacifica scoffed and smirked. “That’s because you’re a tomboy and wrestle in the mud with your pig.”

 

Mabel pouted and stuck her tongue out at Pacifica. “It’s better than being a prissy priss like you. And don’t bring Waddles into this!”

 

“I like that you are strong, and your piglet is adorable, my Princess.” Gideon interjected, trying his hardest to get close to Mabel without spooking the horses.

 

Mabel grinned awkwardly at how close Gideon was getting. “Thanks Gideon. I can at least count on you.”

 

Dipper huffed. This usually happened whenever they rode out. Pacifica and Mabel would start talking, then Gideon would try to squeeze in, Pacifica would say something rude to his sister and Gideon would swoop in to be on her side, and he always ended up forgotten in the back. He remembered trying to speak up and move forward to squeeze into the conversation before, but Gideon would easily push him out, and Pacifica wouldn’t take his bait to calm her down. And, for some reason, his sister never noticed.

 

His mind began wandering to one of the books he had been reading the night before. It was a history book he found in the Medford Royal Archives about the history of Gravity Falls in the perspective of Medford’s ruler at the time. It was funny to read what the King thought of his Grunkle; there was so much fear and mystery in the texts, and it was fun comparing the two recordings side by side. His Grunkle Stan was a tough nut to crack and it made him laugh at how frustrated the King was with his Grunkle’s antics. But it raised more questions in Dipper’s mind. Grunkle Stan preferred not to talk much about the past, but some people and events recorded were helping him piece together the mystery. A mystery Mabel said she would help crack if she wasn’t too busy trying to talk to Pacifica all the time.

 

Suddenly Dipper’s horse brayed loudly and reared up. Dipper screamed out and held onto the reins as his horse started to buck wildly. He managed to gain some control before the horse started to run off toward the thin woodland near the trail. He could hear his sister call out to him, but his beating heart thrummed in his ears and he held onto his horse for dear life. He squeezed his eyes shut as he held on. He could hear running water and felt the cool sprays hit his face, and he tightened his grip on the leather straps. The horse started to buck again, this time the thrashing made his lose his grip. The leather saddle was wet from the splashing and the stallion would not calm down. Dipper screamed and slipped off, landing on his rear in the shallow, muddy creek. He covered his face and screamed a second time when he saw hoofs in the air coming down on him. He rolled out of the way just in time, but the horse continued to gallop into the trees, leaving him in the cold and muddy water.

 

He sat there, his breathing hallow and his nerves frayed. He didn’t notice the royal guard come until he was pulled up by a gloved hand.

 

“My Lord, are you alright?” The guard spoke with urgency, checking the boy over to see any wounds.

 

With a shaky voice, Dipper replied, “I’m alright. I-I lost control of Sebastian.”

 

“That’s fine, my Lord. As long as you are safe.”

 

“Dipper!” The boy turned to his sister’s voice. “Dipper, are you okay?!” His sister got off her horse gracefully and ran to her brother, not caring her dress was getting dirty and pulling him into a hug. “That was so scary. Don’t ever do that again, you hear!”

 

The rest of the party came and stood at the edge of the creek. Bud’s horse came into view and the man was red in the face. “Now what in tarnation happened here?!”

 

The knight who helped Dipper up stepped forward. “Sire, the young prince’s horse got spooked and ran off. We followed the Prince and, thankfully, he wasn’t harmed.”

 

“You’re damn right it’s a good thing he wasn’t harmed! Do you have any idea what would happen if he got hurt on my watch!” The King roared furiously at the armored men. “You four, get my horse and bring it back to the stables” Four armored men saluted and went to retrieved the prized horse. To their luck the horse was about ten feet away. “Sir Gerald,” the knight stood firm and at attention, “Take Prince Dipper back to the castle. Make sure he’s cleaned up and has no injury from this.”

 

“But,” Dipper spoke up, feeling embarrassed from his current state. “But, your Highness, I can just get on another horse and-”

 

“Now, son,” Bud spoke in a softer tone to the child. “I’m not doubting you can keep riding with us today, but I also can’t have you riding all day wet and muddy. It would be just my luck if you were to get sick or worse. Just take the rest of the day off. I’m sure this was pretty scary, wasn’t it?”

 

Gideon and Pacifica snickered to themselves and Dipper looked down. Though everyone knew it was mud and water, it looked like he had an accident. His face reddened and he bowed his head. “Yes, King Bud.”

 

He was picked up by Sir Gerald and placed on the stallion. He felt a tug to his muddy trousers and looked down. Mabel smiled sadly up at him. “Want me to go back with you?”

 

Dipper sighed. “No. It’s my fault I couldn’t control the horse. You can go with the King to the courses.” Dipper gave his sister a sad smile. “I’ll see you when you get back.”

 

Mabel gave an unsure smile back. “Okay, but only because you said so.”

 

Sir Gerald climbed on the horse and whipped the reins. The horse started with a slow trot out of the water. Mabel followed back to the edge of the creek. She climbed onto her horse and watched as her brother left the group back to the castle. Dipper waved back at her, but he didn’t miss the smirk on Gideon’s face. He willed away his anger and embarrassment and was silent all the way back to the castle.

 

\---

 

Eventually the guards retrieved the horse and found out what caused the poor creature to get spooked so bad. One of the guards found a wooden toy snake that was kicked to the side of the road. Bud played dumb to how it could have gotten there in the first place even though everyone knew that Gideon had a fascination with wood-carved animals of all shapes and sizes. Once he found out, Dipper hid himself in the guest bedroom he was staying in and refused to come out for lunch and dinner. When he didn’t come out at the promise of cakes for dessert, Mabel decided enough was enough.

 

She found Dipper distracting himself with his book. At first he ignored her but found it hard to concentrate with his sister talking to him. The pep talk soon turned into a small argument, which was rare for the siblings. “I think it’s a far stretch to say it was Gideon. He’s so nice; why would he do that to you?”

 

The boy slammed his book shut and set it on the nightstand. “Mabel, he’s the only one who was with us that would have anything like that on his person. I’ve seen him play with his wooden toys before. Why are you taking his side on this?”

 

“I’m not taking anyone’s side.” Mabel furrowed her brow and put her fists on her hips. “And don’t sit there and tell me that Gideon is the  _ only _ kid here with toys like that. We see vendors with wood work all the time!” When her brother didn’t answer she sat next to him on his plush bed. “I’m not saying he’s completely innocent, but I’m not saying he’s guilty either.”

 

“You’re only saying that because he’s nice to you.” Dipper looked away and pouted. “He does this sort of thing to me all the time. But you and Pacifica don’t see it and… why am I even bothering coming here if they’re just going to be mean to me?” He sniffled and tried to hide his tears.

 

‘Dipper…” Mabel brushed his unfallen tears away and pushed his chin up gently. It broke her heart to see her brother this hurt. “It’s… How about we just hang out? You and me. Just the two of us goobers going on an adventure.” She smiled when she saw a ghost of a grin peeking out in her brother’s face. “You still doing your research, right? How about I help with my Mabel Magic?”

 

Dipper couldn’t help but giggle. “Okay. Tomorrow after lessons we can go to the library and look for more stuff.”

 

Mabel brought him to her in a tight hug. “Sounds boring but okay!”

 

“What!” Dipper grabbed a pillow and hit his sister in the face. The twins broke out into a pillow fight, hitting each other playfully with the fluffy, over stuffed pillows. One burst open upon hitting Mabel and feathers were everywhere. Mabel and Dipper laughed harder and started to throw the feathers everywhere.

 

\---

 

Dipper and Mabel stood in the grand hall of their home. Mabel wore a magenta dress that she took great pride in bedazzling herself. Dipper was more modest and wore navy blue and black suit and sash. It was a gray day for the first day of summer, but neither complained. Mabel was practically bouncing on her heels as their Grunkle continued with his talk, bored out of her mind.

 

“-And if Preston makes some smart ass comment again about how we missed last summer, I’ll throttle him!”

 

“Sire,” A tall young man with black hair and lilac blue eyes spoke. He was dressed in a mulberry colored suit that matched well with Stanley’s royal maroon. Dipper still wasn’t used to the new advisor since his arrival two years ago, but Theodore Strange was too awkward and nice to really hate. “I’m sure the King of Astoria means no ill will. It was a sudden tragedy that the kingdom won’t forget, so-”

 

“So that two-faced weasel and brown-nosed rat better not mention it.” Stanley interrupted his advisor with a soft glare. “I won’t do anything rash, but with the passing-” He paused and took in a breath. He continued in a lower tone. “With the passing of Amelia, it’s been hard. None of us need the reminder, and I don’t need the kids feeling worse. Sure, when Bud’s brother-in-law and Preston’s sister died, they didn’t care. But Amelia… she’s different. I won’t stand by while they talk about her death so casually.”

 

The advisor nodded in understanding. “I highly doubt they will say anything rude, but you have my word that I will make sure that doesn’t happen.” The man bowed and turned to leave. “Sir Corduroy, open the doors.”

 

The large doors opened and the purple man left. Stanley walked over to his grandniece and grandnephew. “Hey kids.” He rubbed the back of his neck. “How are you two holding up?”

 

“I’m bored, but it’s okay. Gideon and Pacifica will be here in a bit.” Mabel gave a half-hearted smile. “It would be nice to have their company again.”

 

Dipper shrugged. “I’m ready as I’ll ever be.” He grumbled and looked at the ground.

 

“Oh Dipper, it’s not that bad.” Mabel huffed.

 

“Easy for you to say. She mainly hangs out with you, Candy, and Grenda. That leaves me with Gideon and that guy hates me.”

 

Mabel frowned at her brother. “Is that how you really feel?”

 

“Kind of… Most of the time I feel like they’re here just to visit you.”

 

Before Mabel could retort, their Grunkle stepped in.

 

“The little lady is right, kiddo.” Stanley straightened out his pants and gave Dipper a confident grin.“I’m not saying you have to be best friends with them, but from what I’ve seen the Northwest girl is not so bad with you. And Gideon… well, Gideon is a little troll but there’s only so much he can do. Besides, they’re only here for the summer. It’s not forever.”

 

“Yeah, I suppose.” Dipper chuckled when the old man scruffed up his hair with a hand. “Ah! Grunkle Stan!”

 

Stanley laughed and let out a deep breath. “Knock them dead, you two knuckleheads.”

 

Theodore walked back in and announced the Royal families. Dipper turned to Mabel. “Here’s to another summer.” He whispered.

 

“Let’s hope for this summer to be different.” She whispered back. Her pinky tapped against Dipper’s with a small smile. Dipper smiled back and wrapped his pinky around his sister’s.

 

\---

 

“Nice shot, Mabel!” Wendy cheered. The red-haired daughter of Sir Corduroy decided today would be a good day to brush up on the kids’ skills in archery. She walked up to the target and yanked out all the thin arrows Mabel shot before. Two hit the bull’s eye. “Not bad for a twelve year old. With this much skill you could compete in the Junior games this year.” She winked.

 

Mabel giggled. “Well, ya know, it’s just so easy. And you’re a great teacher, too!” Mabel grabbed her arrows from Wendy. “Who’s next?”

 

“My turn!” Dipper waved his hand and went over to Wendy, taking Mabel’s place. 

 

Wendy smirked. “Oh yeah? Think you got it this time?”

 

Dipper blushed. “Um, yeah, I think so.” He looked back to see Mabel giving him a thumb’s up. Pacifica and Gideon looked bored, but the fact that they would be here to watch him made him anxious. He fidgeted with the hem of his shirt. “Could-Could you show me how to aim properly again?”

 

Wendy raised an eyebrow. “What? You don’t want to hit Lazy Susan’s chickens again?”

 

“Oh yeah!” Soos laughed. “Dude, that was hilarious!”

 

“Lazy Susan was so mad.” Mabel elbowed Pacifica with a cute snort.

 

Dipper frowned at his sister and the stable boy. “That was one time!”

 

Wendy walked up beside his and tapped his shoulder. “Hey, it’s cool. I’ll show you.” 

 

Dipper felt his heart skip a beat as Wendy held his hands and gave thorough instruction on the proper technique of archery. He barely heard the words coming out of her mouth as he felt the arrow slip through his fingers and hit the target. He felt himself breathe again when she stepped back.

 

“Okay, now it’s your turn.”

 

“Oh, um,” Dipper fumbled with another arrow and blushed profusely. “O-Okay.” He heard Mabel and Soos chuckle and did his best to block them out. He aimed the arrow once again and took in a few deep breaths. He was getting the image of Wendy out of his head when suddenly a loud cough broke his concentration, the arrow hitting the ground a few yards off the target. Dipper turned around to glare at Gideon, who had an innocent grin.

 

“Sorry! Must be from all the dust in here! This place could use a good cleaning.”

 

“Gideon, that was really rude.” Pacifica said in a nonchalant way. “Don’t be a jerk.”

 

Mabel scowled. “Gideon, if you’re going to be like that, you can go back to the castle.”

 

“What are you talking about? I honestly had to cough!” Gideon frowned.

 

“Seriously, dude,” Wendy leaned against the fence separating the archery range and the bystander benches. “If you want to go next, just say so. Don’t make Dipper choke like that”

 

“I wasn’t talking to servants.” Gideon glared at the redhead. “And how dare you talk to me in such a casual way, peasant.” 

 

“They’re not your servants, they’re our friends.” Dipper hopped over the fence and stared down at Gideon. “And you have no right to talk to them like that.”

 

“Uh, we were just going to go to the weaponry anyway. We’ll see you dudes later.” Soos and Wendy walked off to put away the bows and arrows, sensing the change of mood. Whenever this happened there was no point getting the kids to focus back on the lesson.

 

Gideon watched as they left. He cocked a brow at the other Prince. “Why do you care?”

 

“I’m tired of you treating my friends like crap, and I’m tired of you pushing me around.” Dipper could feel his legs starting to wobble from his nerves, but he swallowed it down and stood his ground.

 

“Dipper-”

 

“No, Mabel.” Dipper stopped his sister. “I’m… I’m trying to be nice and all you do is just mess with me, and… and I’m tired of it.”

 

Blue eyes stared back into the harsh brown. “Well, I don’t know what you mean. I-”

 

“Oh, shut up, Gideon!” Dipper shouted. His voice cracked but he didn’t care. “I don’t know what I did that made you hate me so much to embarrass me all the time, but I’m tired of your crap! And so is Mabel and Pacifica!” He motioned to the two girls, who avoided eye contact when Gideon looked their way. “I don’t even know why I bother.” Dipper walked briskly to the weaponry, taking off his gear. He ignored the cries for him to come back and shut the door. He looked up to see Soos and Wendy staring at him with concern.

 

Dipper stopped in his tracks. “You two heard everything?” He questioned.

 

“Yeah… ” Wendy smiled, setting up the equipment. “After the incident last week I don’t trust Gideon to be anywhere near you.”

 

“And we also wanted to see if you would stand up for yourself.” Soos said. “Which is totally awesome that you did. Up top.” He held up his hand and Dipper high-fived him.

 

“I hate how he talks to you guys. At least Pacifica is getting better about it.” Dipper spoke sheepishly, not used to so much praise. His sister was the golden child out of the two with everything they did. She was social, she had more class, she was creative, and she was physically superior and mastered anything she set her mind to. He was the scholar, but she had the makings to be a great Queen someday. It didn’t surprise him that Gideon and Pacifica were more drawn to her. It was refreshing to have a pleasant Pacifica around, and she was even spending some time with Dipper, but Mabel was still her favorite twin to be around. It hurt to think about it sometimes, and days like this were harsh reminders of that. Soos helped him remove his gear and he hummed. “Hey, do you guys want to go explore the woods with me?”

 

“Sorry, dude.” Soos had a apologetic look. “I was going to have a midwife check on Melody. We’re going to find out the sex of the baby.”

 

“That’s great, Soos!” Dipper was genuinely happy for his friend but felt a little pain of jealousy. He pushed it away and asked Wendy, “What about you? We can go looking for Manotaurs and challenge them to wrestling matches again.”

 

Wendy frowned. “Sorry, Dipper. Robbie was going to show me the new sword he and his Master are working on. I promised I’d go see it.”

 

The jealousy came back full force with the mention of the sulky young teen. “Oh, um, okay.”

 

“But hey,” The redhead winked at the Prince. “Tomorrow we can totally do that. Right now I should get the gear from the others before they run off with them again.”

 

“Okay.” Dipper tried to hide the sadness from his voice as he watched his friends leave. He stood there alone in the weaponry. He took his time making it back to the castle, not really in the mood for much. He was in the middle of reading some texts about unsolved mysteries of Gravity Falls and that, with a cup of his favorite peach tea, sounded like a good comfort for how he felt at the moment.

 

As he walked up the steps he noticed Theodore standing by talking to a few guards. The man caught the prince and saw the depressed look on the young face. The man waved the guards off and made his way to the child.

 

“Prince Mason, what’s the matter?” Theodore asked with concern.

 

“Hm?” Dipper shrugged nonchalantly. “I don’t know… I’m just left alone again. I know everyone is busy doing other stuff, but…”

 

“But you feel like you’re being left behind?” The man prodded. Brown eyes met with lilac blue, and he gave a knowing smile. “I understand.”

 

“You do?”

 

The advisor nodded. “You remind me a lot of when I was a boy. No one really wanted to hang out with me and I was often left alone. You want to know what I did?”

 

Dipper shrugged again. “What did you do?” He doubted he had the answer, but he figured he would amuse the awkward man.

 

Theodore glanced around suspiciously and leaned down to whisper. “Can you keep a secret?” The prince hesitated but nodded. “... I practiced magic.”

 

Dipper’s eyes widened. “What?” He said in a hushed tone. “But only my Grunkle can harness magic. How did you-how is that possible?”

 

Theodore narrowed his eyes for a second in a pensive stance. “If I show you, you must promise to never speak of this to anyone.” Dipper nodded excitedly. “Then follow me, your Majesty.”

 

Dipper, being the curious boy he was, grinned and followed Theodore into the walls of the castle. They made their way discreetly to the library where the advisor checked to see if they were followed. The library, home to the Gravity Falls Royal Archives, was huge. It was an entire tower, going about five stories high. The light from the stain glass windows made a kaleidoscope rainbow dance amongst the shelves and shelves of old tomes and texts. It was Dipper’s favorite place to go, yet he didn’t understand why Theodore would take him here. 

 

They weaved through the maze of bookcases until they turned to a shadowed corner Dipper was not familiar with. The man pulled a book away from the dusty bookcase hidden in the most secluded part. The shelf made a soft ‘click’ and moved forward. Theodore pushed it open a little further, showing a descending staircase. Dipper gasped. “What… How did I not know of this? I’m here all the time.”

 

Theodore chuckled. “This library is impressive; a man could spend his whole life here and not even come close to finding this place.” In his hands he still held the maroon book. It was old and tattered with a golden, six-fingered hand embedded into the cover. “When I began my first year servicing the royal family, I stumbled upon here by accident.” He handed the book to Dipper, who cradled it gently in his hands. “This book helped me begin my path as a magic user. And I think it’s time you had a look through it’s pages.”

 

Dipper flipped through the thin papers. The book was handwritten in ink and what he hoped wasn’t blood. There was the Common tongue and codes riddled all over the edges. Dipper giggled in disbelief. “Really? You-You think I can learn all of this?” The advisor nodded, and Dipper couldn’t help but hug him. “Thank you, Theodore. I really needed this.”

 

“Please. Call me Tad.”

 

The rest of the summer went on the same. Gideon pestered Mabel, Mabel rejected his advances and instead spent more time with Pacifica, Candy, and Grenda, and Dipper was mostly kept to himself. Only this time Dipper was beginning to learn how to read spells from Tad’s secret collection. For the first time in years Dipper felt he was finally good at something.

 

\---

 

“Are you sure you don’t want to come?” Mabel asked. The princess, now sixteen years of age, stood just outside of her carriage. Tad held out an umbrella to cover her and the prince from the rain, not minding that his suit was getting ruined. “We can always have the servants pack you a bag really quick.”

 

Dipper declined. “No, it’s more of a thing the three of you do. I’m sure I won’t be missed much. Besides, I feel more comfortable here.” He motioned behind him toward the castle. Stanley was standing near the door with the rest of the guard seeing the princess off. 

 

Mabel whined. “But we always go together! What am I going to do when Pacifica is in one of her moods or if Gideon is in one of his moods? Don’t leave me alone with that creep!”

 

“You won’t be alone! Candy and Grenda are coming with you.” Dipper reasoned. He waved at the girls who were in the carriage already, then held his sister’s hands. “I promise to write to you every chance I get.”

 

“You mean every day?” Mabel laughed. “But seriously, write to me every day.”

 

“Oh my God, go!” Dipper playfully pushed his sister. They shared one more laugh together before the princess climbed aboard the carriage. He watched as it moved down the muddy path away from the castle. It was the first summer he wouldn’t join his sister and it did sting. But his powers were increasing, and Tad only touched the surface of his potential. Or so the man said.

 

“My Lord, we should head back. You could catch a cold.” 

 

Dipper glanced at the secret sorcerer. He gave a quick nod. “Yes. You’re right.” The walk back was quiet. Stanley waited patiently for Dipper to reach the top of the steps before wrapping an arm around his grandnephew.

 

“So, how did it go?”

 

“Grunkle Stan, you watched the whole thing.” Dipper rolled his eyes. “... It was okay. I’m going to miss Mabel, but I think this is best.” He tugged at his sleeve as the Royal Guard opened the doors to the grand hall. “You sure King Bud won’t mind me not being there?”

 

“Oh, no, they’ll be pissed. But I’m not blind; ever since the first summer of these visits you would come back sad and depressed. Your mom was a firm believer that these visits would get better, but… But you’re mental health is way more important than this stupid arrangement-”

 

“Arrangement?”

 

“-And if they have anything wrong with it they can come bitch to me about it.” Stanley dodged the question and moved forward. “I have to go to some stupid meeting. I’ll see you at dinner, kiddo.”

 

Dipper stood there as his Grunkle Stan left the room. He was confused and intrigued. “At least I have something to write about to Mabel…”

 

\---

 

“To be fair, I kind of knew something was up.” The princess was painting her nails while her brother brushed her hair. Despite their Grunkle trying to toughen Dipper out, he still enjoyed doing feminine things with his sister. And he was the only one in the castle who knew how to braid her hair the way their mother used to. “I mean, it was pretty obvious with how much they pushed us to be together when we clearly did not like each other as kids.”

 

“What? You loved these visits, you goober.”

 

She laughed. “Okay, ya got me. I just feel kind of bad it didn’t really work out with you and Pacifica.”

 

The prince nodded at that. “One can’t force another to like them… I do still feel kind of used.” Dipper held her locks and brushed gently through the sea of amber brown. “I know it wasn’t an official arrangement but it all seems so fake now.”

 

Mabel had returned earlier that day much to Dipper’s joy. He missed his sister terribly, but the time he spent alone was worth it. Even as he did a simple task he could feel the tingle of magic coursing through his body. Tad was an excellent teacher.

 

“Eh, I wouldn’t say it was a  _ complete _ failure…” Mabel’s voice trailed off into a muffle as she snuggled a pillow to her chest and plop her head into it’s fluffiness.

 

Dipper froze. “... _ Gideon _ ?”

 

“Ew, no!” Mabel fake gagged. “Ugh, I can’t- no. Just no. How could you offend me like that?”

 

“What? I thought you liked the guy!” The teen mocked.

 

“Yeah, when I was seven! And it was in a ‘little sister’ kind of way.” Mabel blew a raspberry at her brother, which he returned with just as much vigor. “No, not that pompous pervert.” 

 

Dipper stopped laughing as he remembered some of the letters. The white haired prince didn’t do anything bad, but he was not subtle at all with how much he liked his sister. He bristled at the thoughts of some of the lewd comments he made. “Ugh, if I had known he would act like that I would have come with you so I could smack him.”

 

Mabel tsked. “Oh, it’s water under the bridge. He let up a bit after I kicked him in the groin.”

 

“You seriously did that?” Dipper paused. “I thought you were joking about that!”

 

“Nope!”

 

“Oh my Lord. We’re getting off topic- you said you don’t like Gideon, so… wait, Mabel,” realization hit Dipper hard. He noticed his sister start to curl up again. “Do… Do you like Pacifica?”

 

Mabel sat up. Her cheerful mood changed as she stared at her brother. “Yes? I guess I do…”

 

The room was silent. Dipper processed the new information, and suddenly everything made sense. The way his sister always sought out the blonde’s attention, regardless of her sour attitude toward the brunette, made a whole world of sense. He felt like smacking himself for not noticing sooner. “Oh, I see.” He mumbled to himself.

 

“... Do you hate me?”

 

“What?” A sniffle told Dipper that Mabel was crying. “What-no, Mabel, no, I could never hate you.” He hugged his sister from behind. “Why would I ever hate you? You are the most brilliant, beautiful, and caring person I know.”

 

“I-I thought you would hate me because… because…” She hiccupped. Tears were soaking her pillow she was still holding as she tried to cough up what she wanted to say.

 

“Because you like a girl?”

 

“No, not like,” Mabel moved her head up. Her brown eyes were stained red and her nose was wet from the pillow. “Dipper, I love her and I’m terrified. Her parents would never approve- I-I”

 

“Mabel…” Dipper pulled his sister into a proper hug, combing through her hair with his fingers in a soothing manner. He waited until her small sobs subsided before he continued on. “Our kingdom isn’t against that sort of thing. When you turn eighteen just confess your feelings to Pacifica. The worst she can do is say no, right? And by then we’ll all be adults so who cares what her parents think?”

 

Mabel looked up at her brother. “I highly doubt it’s that simple,” she gave a weak smile, but it was still a smile. “But I’ll believe in your bullshit.”

 

Dipper leaned forward and kissed his sister’s forehead. “Good. Last thing I need happening is for my sister to stress about all this crap. Who cares who you’re going to marry; you’re going to be Queen by birthright. Whoever you tie the knot with doesn’t matter, at least not in our laws.”

 

“I just don’t want to feel this crappy anymore.”

 

“Worst comes to worst you can crossdress and woo her as a man in disguise.”

 

“Dipper, that’s a terrible idea.”

 

“Shut up, I’m trying to make you feel better.”

 

Mabel snickered and wiped her nose on her sleeve. “You’re a dum-dum.”

 

They talked long into the night. Dipper never told her of his secret lessons or his newfound powers. He was just happy to have his sister back.

 

\---

 

The next year both Gideon and Dipper refused to visit again, much to King Bud and King Preston’s dismay. King Stanley was happy that  friendship did spark between the two princesses, and that Prince Gideon wasn’t throwing a temper tantrum that turned into war. All seemed peaceful in the three kingdoms, a childhood full of summers that hopefully bonded the future rulers into a strong alliance. It was everything King Stanley envisioned when he first agreed to it, and all seemed well. 


	4. What Else Is There?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Beauty isn't everything.

Mabel cursed again as the small carriage rocked, messing with her dress. “Damn it, I just fixed this!”

 

Dipper watched as his sister fussed over the garment. “I could have sworn the trip to Astoria was a lot longer.” The prince wondered out loud. He caught a glimpse of the moon outside the small window, but trees blocked his view. “I can’t believe I haven’t seen Pacifica in almost three years…” 

 

“Yeah,” Mabel spoke as she struggled with her dress. “Last time she saw you, you had that hilarious, squeaky puberty voice.” She grunted as she moved her leg to untangle her ruffles. “You should see how Pacifica and Gideon look now. Gideon is super tall, and Pacifica is gorgeous-” she huffed as she finally straightened her skirt and bunched it the right way. “Her dad is still not happy with you bailing out of our ‘playdates’, so expect him to pester you tonight for a stupid dance.”

 

He glanced at his sister and stifled a laugh. It amazed him that she was able to fit inside the small space. “Only you can pull off so many ruffles.” She gave him a soft glare and he grinned. “You look beautiful.”

 

Mabel gave him a smug look. “Of course I do. If I’m going to impress a certain lady I have to look my best. And you look dashing in that suit of yours.”

 

Dipper rolled his eyes. “No, I don’t.” He smiled sheepishly. 

 

Mabel reached over to give him a light push. “Oh, yes you do! I don’t want to hear any of that negative talk tonight! It’s not often we get invited to a party  _ and _ have Grunkle Stan come with us. So no sour puss pouts, mister.”

 

The castle of Astoria was smaller than when Dipper last saw it at the age of thirteen. The smell of the sea and the cool summer air had memories flooding back. Everything was different yet the same. In his childhood, the courtyard seemed to stretch on for miles, but now, as the carriage pulled to a stop, it was more or less the same size as theirs at home. The castle was still tall and grand and the landscaping was as beautiful as he remembered.

 

This time it wasn’t just him and his sister coming to visit. Lords and Ladies, Dukes and Duchesses, Counts and Countesses were all being ushered up the stairs and inside where the ball was being held. It wasn’t everyday a royal came of age, so it was no shock to the prince how crowded it was. Yet he could feel his nerves prickle up and he shivered.

 

Mabel noticed. “Hey, it’s going to be fine.” She laid a hand on his shoulder and squeezed it for good measure. “It’s just a birthday party. We don’t have to stay for too long; just acquaint ourselves with everyone, eat some food, maybe dance to a song or two, and then we leave. Okay?”

 

Dipper swallowed. “And have you  _ finally  _ confess to Pacifica. I’ll be fine. I… I just haven’t seen most of these people in forever. As long as I have you and Grunkle Stan I’ll be fine”

 

Mabel gave him a reassuring smile, and he returned it with a small nod. The carriage door opened, and the coachman helped the princess down the steps. Dipper followed suit and walked his sister up the steps. He was careful not to step on the pink train of her dress. She worked hard with her seamstress to get the rose petal effect of her custom made gown, and he would feel terrible if his heel tore through the delicate fabric. They reached the top of the stairs to wait for their great uncle. 

 

The King’s carriage followed shortly after theirs, and the crowd, who only bowed and gave polite greeting to the prince and princess, all gave their attention to the famous royal. It was not often that the King of Gravity Falls graced the public outside of his own kingdom with his presence. He stepped out of his carriage, followed by his advisor, Tad Strange, and gave the Royal Court polite bows and words begrudgingly. Mabel and Dipper tried to keep straight faces as their Grunkle Stan tried in vain to get past the curious and pestering guests. Tad kept reigning him back into the crowd to make sure his Sire greeted everyone properly, and Stan’s grin was so fake Dipper couldn’t help but bark out a laugh when it shifted to a scowl once he was free.

 

“Damn vultures…” Stan cursed. He scowled at his nephew. “Oh, you find something funny, don’t ya?”

 

“Nope.” Dipper giggled out. He yelped in surprise and laughed harder as the older man put him in a headlock.

 

“I doubt that, kid!” He ruffled the Prince’s hair, making him squirm. “Teach you to laugh at the king!”

 

Tad panicked as the small family laughed. “Sire! We are in public-stop this nonsense right now!” The pale man looked like he was about to faint from the spectacle they were causing.

 

Mabel gave a sympathetic smile. “Come on, Grunkle Stan. Stop before Tad dies from embarrassment.”

 

At last the King freed his victim. “Ah, fine. Can’t have Tad getting his panties in a knot too early.” He winked at the two, causing Mabel to snicker.

 

Tad groaned. “Sire, you promised to behave yourself tonight.”

 

“No, I said I would try but I wasn’t making any promises.”  The advisor gave him a stern eye. “What? I can’t have fun with my niece and nephew?... Fine, fine, just stop looking at me like that.”

 

Tad grinned. “Is everyone ready?” 

 

Dipper tried his best to tame his brown locks but a hand stopped him. “Your hair looks better like this.” Mabel said. “Don’t worry about it.”

 

Tad gestured for the family to enter before him. “After you, your Majesties.”

 

Stanley stepped forward with a grunt, Mabel following with a giggle at Tad’s stiff movements, and then Dipper came soon after. They made their way to the grande ballroom easy enough, and the prince was thrown back in nostalgia. It was as wide and open as he could remember. The large windows reached from the ceiling to the floor, showing off the view of the ocean from the balcony. The high ceilings were decorated with streamers and ribbons lacing through the chandeliers, floral arrangements of periwinkle and rose brought splashes of color to the pristine, amber room, and the waxed floors were filled with people in colorful gowns. A buffet of gourmet foods made the air smell divine and Dipper couldn’t wait to try the fondue fountain.

 

The three stood at the archway as Tad went over to the Lord Chamberlain. With a moment’s pause, the short man in a mix of purple and silver fabric straightened his back and spoke in a strong and loud voice. “Presenting his Royal Highness, King Stanley Pines of Gravity Falls,” Stanley stepped forward, “High Princess Mabel Alexandra Pines,” Mabel stepped forward, holding onto her Grunkle’s arm as they stepped down together, “And Prince Mason Alexander Pines.”

 

All eyes were on the family as they descended the stairs. Dipper could feel a cool sweat beading his back. He took in a deep breath, minding his steps and pace. He stared at the pillar in the distance to distract him from all the judging eyes. He did his best to calm his nerves and before he knew it he was at the bottom of the stairs and amongst the crowd. A group already formed around his Grunkle and sister. That was expected since his sister was months away from her coronation. 

 

“Lord Mason.” A pompous voice broke Dipper away. He turned to see a familiar face. “Hello, my dear boy. I haven’t seen you in a few years. You look like you are doing well.”

 

“Hello, Lord Preston.” Dipper gave his attention to the King. The man aged well, but his fake smile was absent on the worn face. “I’m doing well. How are you this evening?”

 

The man took a few steps closer to the prince. “My family and I are doing perfectly fine. It’s not everyday my daughter becomes a woman.”

 

“Yes, thank you for inviting us to your daughter’s birthday. I know Mabel was really excited to come here.” He pretended not to notice the scowl on Preston’s face at the mention of his sister. “Speaking of whom, where is Pacifica?”

 

The man gave a small smile at the inquiry. “She’s over there, greeting guests who just arrived.” The King gestured behind Dipper. He took the silent cue and found Pacifica making her way to Mabel. The blonde princess matured over the few short years. Her frame was thin and tall, her narrow face no longer holding her youthful roundness. She had the air of an empress with her stoic pose. Her seafoam green dress was elegant and fit in a mermaid style, complementing her angled body. “My daughter is quite the remarkable young woman. She recently started a campaign to educate the lower classes and is coming up with new laws on housing and immigration. Not that I agree with her decisions, but I must say her determination and leadership skills are great makings for a powerful ruler. Wouldn’t you agree?”

 

Dipper had to refrain from groaning and rolling his eyes. “Yes, she is impressive. You must be a very proud father.”

 

The King’s ego swelled at the praise. “I am. And I’m sure she will make her future husband proud as well.” He eyed Dipper. “She kept asking about you during your absence. I’m curious what you have been busying yourself with to keep us all waiting.”

 

“I’ve been working on a personal project, alone with minor duties to the kingdom. Mabel is the one who is working to the bone.” The answer was vague but true. Soon Stanley would step down and Mabel would take his place. There was so much the young woman had to absorb as she ascended the throne. It was another reason why the family agreed to come to the party. “I do what I can to help, but I am just a prince.”

 

Preston chuckled at the last comment. “Yes, but you are the Prince of Gravity Falls. A very noble title to hold. I’m sure there are many maidens who would gladly take your hand and help ease the burden off your shoulders.”

 

Dipper frowned. Clearly the King was not bothering to truly listen to his word. He huffed and veered the conversation to the topic he knew Preston was trying to reach. “No. I’m not the twin others seek out to court. Has anyone made an offer for her hand?”

 

Preston visibly relaxed. His grin turned into a smug smirk. “No, but a wealthy dowry and my approval of the offer is all it takes to have her matched with a man worthy of her.” A server passed by, allowing both men to take a flute of champagne off the silver tray. “Pardon, but are you interested in my daughter? I wouldn’t be surprised; you two have known each other since you were young children.”

 

Dipper took a long sip. “Oh, no, I was just curious.”

 

If looks could kill Preston would have Dipper murdered. “If I may be so bold as to ask why exactly?”

 

The young prince shrugged. “Your daughter shows no interest in me.” He held up his hand to silence the King’s words. “And I am not interested in forcing anyone into holy matrimony against their will. Pacifica is a lovely and generous woman with plenty of ambition, but she is not the one for me.”

 

Preston’s lip twitched. “It’s not like you’ll be marrying a stranger.” He moved closer to Dipper. The prince cringed. “And who said anything about force? My daughter has turned down every offer from other kingdoms to wed, but she has history with you.  _ We _ have history with you. If you are hesitating because you think you’ll be rejected, I can persuade my daughter to accept your proposal-”

 

“I’m not offering a proposal, your Highness.” Dipper openly glared at the man. “And I don’t appreciate you trying to persuade me into an engagement I have no interest in. My answer is no.” The prince finished his drink and placed it on a nearby empty tray. “Excuse me. I have yet to give my best wishes to the birthday girl.”

 

He didn’t bother to look back at the King as he strode off. The King’s face was fuming with concealed rage and Dipper felt like giving himself a pat on the back. He hated how Pacifica’s father talked and acted toward her. Growing up with the blonde princess he noticed the attitudes and treatments toward the poor girl. Preston was an old-fashioned and horrid man, thinking his daughter more as a token to achieve more power than as her own human being. It made him sick that the King thought he could be used just like he uses his own child.

 

Dipper was happy someone like Mabel had their eye on Pacifica. The princess deserved better.

 

He approached the princess now, who was taking animatedly with his sister. He made sure the scowl on his face lessened to a relaxed face. Pacifica didn’t need to know that her father was ready to sell her off to him. 

 

“Happy Birthday, Pacifica.”

 

The attention was on him. Two sets chocolate and aquamarine eyes were on him, and his sister’s smile broadened. “Hey, Dipper!”

 

Pacifica gave a soft smile and nodded at the prince. “Hello, Dipper. I haven’t seen you in a while.” She looked him up and down, sizing up his forest green attire. “I’m surprised you’re here.”

 

The man smiled awkwardly. “Why would I miss this? This is an important celebration for you.”

 

“That’s what I was saying!” Mabel held Pacifica’s hand. The princess didn’t seem to mind. “Dipper may miss social cues, but even he wouldn’t say no to this.” Pacifica rolled her eyes and took a sip from her drink. 

 

“I came over to wish you a happy birthday,” Dipper rubbed the back of his neck. It was clear to him that he interrupted their conversation.

 

Pacifica cocked a brow. She put a fist to her hip and stared at the man. “I haven’t seen you in over three years and I’m greeted with nothing but small talk? That’s rude.” She opened her arms and ushered him closer. “Let’s talk and pretend we enjoy each other’s company like the ‘civil adults’ we are now.” She smirked and Dipper couldn’t help but chuckle.

 

“It has been forever.” He was pulled into a side hug with the woman. “You have changed a lot since I last saw you.”

 

“I can say the same with you. Who is this dashing young man standing before me?” Pacifica wondered aloud. “Seriously though, at your own coming-of-age party I didn’t see you. Mabel says you’ve been preoccupying yourself with personal stuff. I have to say, I’m not a fan of being left alone with Gideon for the better half of my teens.” She spoke in a light, snarky tone.

 

“Sorry about that-”

 

“Dipper, I’m kidding. It wasn’t that bad.” Pacifica tittered. “I’m happy you’re here.”

 

Dipper smiled at that, feeling more at ease. “Good to hear. As far as what I’ve been up to,” he paused, thinking of a cover. “I’ve been brushing up on our kingdom’s history and laws. Can’t have Mabel shoulder all the responsibility.” It wasn’t a complete lie.

 

Mabel moved closer. “Dipper, you worry wart, I’ll be fine! Grunkle Stan doesn’t care as long as I don’t burn down the castle.”

 

“I wish I was so lucky. My dad has been hounding me to find someone to settle with: as if I can’t take care of the land myself.” Pacifica’s smile wavered. “I saw him pestering you.”

 

Dipper shook his head. “Don’t worry about that. It was nothing.” Her smile returned. “He did mention that you’ve been pretty busy. Let’s talk about that.”

 

Their conversation continued and it was a breath of fresh air to be included. The blonde was charming enough and Mabel kept the conversation light with her jokes. After a while he excused himself to the balcony for fresh air. It was easy for him to maneuver through the crowd, stopping occasionally to give greetings to other esteemed guests. When he closed the conversation with the Duke of Piedmont he noticed he was further away from the balcony. He groaned. He lost sight of his family and he was starting to feel enochlophobic. He leaned against the wall, watching the party continue on without him.

 

He took in a deep breath, but felt it hitch as he watched a tall, broad shouldered man briskly walk toward him. The white hair and classic sneer was enough to give him away, but aside from that Gideon looked completely different. His appearance was no longer that of a cherub; he was all square muscle and intimidation. The prince was surprised the other was still wearing such bright blue colors with his complexion,and the charismatic grin would have fooled him if he didn’t know any better. “Gideon?”

 

“Dipper Pines, isn’t this a treat?” The man crooned at the brunette. His deep voice shocked the prince. “I was expecting your sister here but not you.”

 

“That’s what everyone is saying tonight.” Dipper mumbled and rubbed his elbow. 

 

Gideon stood next to Dipper, the height difference more apparent. The man smirked down at him, and Dipper did not like that look. “What’s a little robin like you doing all by himself? You and your sister are mostly inseparable during these occasions from what I remember.”

 

“She’s with Pacifica.” Dipper shifted his eyes away. 

 

“That’s good to know.” The younger man lingered for a bit. “But I’m here to talk to you.”

 

Dipper eyed him. “...Really?” He pursed his lips and scooted away from the larger body. “Why?”

 

Gideon followed his steps. “Why not? We never spent too much together, and I feel bad about this.” He laid a firm hand on the brunette’s shoulder. “Especially when you stopped visiting. I almost didn’t recognize you when you were announced; isn’t that a shame!”

 

“Not really.” Dipper rolled his shoulder, successfully removing the hand. “You weren’t exactly the nicest kid to be around. It’s not my fault you wanted to be around Mabel and Pacifica and not even bother with me.” He glared at the other and crossed his arms. He knew he was acting childish, but years of mistreatment weren’t easy to forget.

 

“You’re right.” Gideon exhaled. “And I apologize for that.” Dipper scoffed at that. “Which is why I am more than happy to make up for it now. How about you join me for the first few dances and we can get to know each other more.”

 

“What?” Dipper scrunched his face. “Why would I dance with you?”

 

“Consider it me making amends.” He held out his hand expectantly. “Will you do me the honor of giving me just one dance?” 

 

Dipper hesitated. “I don’t know… what if you trip me. Or push me into the fondue fountain. Or something equally embarrassing. Now saying that all out loud made me realize this is a bad idea.”

 

“Oh, don’t be like that,” Gideon reached out and pulled the retreating Dipper close to him. The prince protested as he was pulled to the center of the ballroom. The orchestra began to play a soft waltz and Dipper found himself trapped in Gideon’s arms. 

 

Other couples moved onto the floor in synch with the unlikely couple. Dipper tried in vain to get out of the larger man’s grasp but it was useless. Gideon was too strong. He cursed to himself for not being able to get out of the waltz, so he groaned and begrudgingly let the white haired prince lead him across the floor. Hazel eyes bore into his own and making him uneasy. Dipper’s eyes shifted and scanned the room to look at anything other than Gideon. As they twirled he caught Mabel’s attention. He gave a silent plea but his sister gave a tentative thumbs up. He grunted as he was pulled deeper into the dance.

 

“Gideon, stop, I don’t want to dance with you anymore.”

 

The prince gave a deep chuckle and pulled the smaller body closer to his. “The song isn’t over yet, just finish this with me and listen to what I have to say.” Known for not taking ‘no’ for an answer, Dipper glared but remained quiet. “These past few years with your absence I used to think was a blessing. Until your sister declined my proposal of taking our friendship to the next level. Had I known what would have happened and what was to come from the future I would have been more kind to you. I deeply regret pushing you away, Mason.”

 

Dipper perked up at the use of his real name. “Uh… If this is your way of saying ‘sorry’ you’re doing a poor job at it.”

 

Gideon hummed as he leaned in to whisper in Dipper’s ear. “I don’t mean to offend you.” The breath on his neck made Dipper shiver unpleasantly. Gideon smikred. “I had no idea that a boy like you could blossom into such a beautiful flower.”

 

With all of his strength, Dipper pulled back in disgust. The sudden movement freed him from the strong arms and gave a few inches of distance. Dipper smacked a hand on his neck where the hot breath moistened his skin.“What is your problem?”

 

“Problem? I don’t know what you mean…” Gideon tried to grab Dipper’s hand but failed.

 

“Oh, don’t act innocent.” He spoke loudly, causing nearby partners to slow down and eavesdrop. “Why are you saying weird stuff. This isn’t like you. Let me go, I don’t like this.”

 

Gideon looked nervous as more people stopped to stare. “Mason, you’re going to cause a scene-”

 

“I don’t care about that!” Dipper snapped back. “You’ve been nothing but a prick to me since we met, and now you’re dancing and talking to me as if- as if you’re trying to court me! What the hell am I supposed to think?”

 

Gideon’s smile turned down and his eyes glowered. “Fine, you want the truth?” He grabbed Dipper’s wrist and pulled him in fast. The prince yelped and looked up with fearful eyes. “I used to think you were too ordinary and annoying. You always got in the way of my courtship with your sister. I thought there was no way I could make my Daddy proud by marrying into the Pines family.” His smirk returned full force. “But now that I see you, that changes things.” Their dance steps increased in speed and Dipper felt like he would trip at any moment. “I know your kingdom doesn’t care for traditional marriage, and now that you’re even more beautiful than your sister, it would be my honor for you to call me your husband.” Gideon stopped and held Dipper’s chin with thick fingers in a tight grip. “I can forget about our past transgressions, why can’t you?”

 

The amount of fury bubbling inside of Dipper was immeasurable. He had to stop himself from blowing up at the shallow man, and instead swallowed his anger. Out of everything he said, a theme rang out throughout his explanation that hurt Dipper the most. He was aware already that he wasn’t the most sought out bachelor in the kingdom, but he had to make sure his assumption to Gideon’s words was just in his head. He breathed in through his nose in a calm manner before speaking. “Is that all that matters to you?” 

 

Gideon guffawed. “Oh, Hun, what else is there?”

 

“What else is there?” Dipper repeated back in disgust. He felt his composure shatter as he pushed Gideon away finally freeing himself from the hard grip.

 

Gideon blinked and reached out for Dipper’s wrist. The brunette struggled, gaining more attention to the growing spectacle on the dance floor. “Hold on! We’re not finished.” Gideon growled out. “I order you to-”

 

A collection of gasps echoed in the ballroom and the music stopped as everyone witnessed Prince Mason slap Prince Gideon across the face.

 

The force of the slap was enough to put Gideon in momentary shock. Dipper stalked off the dance floor. He ignored the buzzing questions and questioning gazes the best he could. He felt tears form in his eyes and he tried to wipe them off.

 

Finally the other prince came to and was red in the face. “How dare you-!”

 

“No!” Dipper interjected. The party was quiet and unconsciously made a path so the two men could see each other. “I am more than just a pretty face and crown, Gideon! If you had taken the time to get to know me instead of basing favoritism on appearance, I might have said yes! But just like so many others, you failed to do even that!” 

 

He went back to making his way up the stairs, careful not to trip on his own feet. He didn’t care that he just ruined a perfectly good party. He had to leave. He was tired of the royal court, he was tired of the fake smiles, he was tired of no one getting to know the real Dipper. He couldn’t help but feel like he was being used all over again.

 

The night air was refreshing from the stuffy castle. The prince panted as he raced to the two carriages his family rode in. He reached the coachmen and was about to order one to send him home when he heard footsteps follow him. “Dipper! Wait!”

 

He glanced back, surprised it was his Grunkle who followed him. “Grunkle Stan.” The man finally reached him clearly winded. “Please don’t make me go back to the party.”

 

The old man raised his hands with a stern look on his face. “No, I’m not letting you leave this party alone.” The King took in a deep breath. “What you did in there was stupid-”

 

“Grunkle Stan, I’m not going back in there.”

 

“I’m not asking you to. Just listen.” He tried to catch his breath. “I don’t know what happened, but what you did in there was stupid and childish. You’re almost nineteen years old; you are too old for this drama bullshit.” The prince flinched at the harsh voice. “You can’t go around smacking people from the high court!”

 

“I know.” Dipper couldn’t look his Grunkle Stan in the eyes. 

 

“But… knowing the little troll, he has had it coming for a long time. I understand if you don’t want to be here, but someone has to stay behind to clean this mess up. That’s why I’m coming with you and Mabel is staying. She’s a lot better at dealing with people in these situations.”

 

The prince looked down at the gravel road in shame. It was an impulsive move, one that was done carelessly and could put him in political jeopardy, and he thought he could just run from it. “I’m sorry.”

 

“Sorry is not going to fix this.” There was a silence between the two. Stanley pinched the bridge of his nose and groaned. “Your sister will take care of it. Tad is staying behind and is going to escort her home. But you and I are going to have a very long chat when we get home.” He lightly pushed the man toward the carriage. “Just… calm down and get in. We’re leaving.”

 

He did as he was told, climbing into the plush carriage that his Grunkle road in earlier. His Grunkle talked to the coachman before climbing in and sitting opposite of Dipper. The prince’s face was heated with shame and he wanted to go back and change his actions. The carriage started the long ride home and the small cabin was already uncomfortable.

 

Time passed and the king was visibly restless. “Screw it, we’re talking now. What exactly made you slap him so hard?” He grunted out. 

 

Dipper gulped. “He… He forced me to dance with him and said some really rude things.” 

 

“Who do you take me for?” Stanley eyed him skeptically. “He’s done worse to you and you never reacted like this before. Whatever you two talked about during the waltz was enough to make you forget who you are and where you were. A simple rude comment doesn’t excuse your behavior.”

 

The prince fidgeted with his fingernails as he thought of the best words that would get him into less trouble. “He…” Tears clouded his vision. “He proposed to me and I asked why. He admitted that all I am is just a pretty face, and…” He bit his lip to stop it from trembling. “I asked him what else was there besides that. And he said ‘what else is there’. I already asked him to let me go and he refused, so I was able to leave when he said that, but he just wouldn’t let me go.”

 

The cushion sank at the weight of another body. Stanley sat side by side with his grandnephew and rubbed his back as the boy he raised cried. “Hey, hey, hey,” Stanley tried his best to calm down the young prince. He pulled out a handkerchief and gave it to him. “I’m sorry I snapped at you… You had every right to slap him. To talk and treat you like that is unforgivable, and that fact that he thinks he can do that in the first place is making this whole thing worse.” He pulled Dipper into a hug, continuously rubbing circles into his back. “And he’s wrong. You are so much more than that. You are my clever, intuitive, self-sacrificing grandnephew, and you deserve so much more than what any of these assholes have to offer.”

 

Dipper smiled into his Grunkle’s shoulder. It wasn’t much, but he knew Stanley was doing his best to comfort him. The tender moment stopped when the cabin lurched forward. Stanley grumbled and reached for the handle. Before he could reach it, the door opened. 

 

“Your Majesty, someone is blocking the road. They’re asking for you.” Sir Corduroy spoke urgently.

 

“Really? Who in their right mind..?” Stanley poked his head out to get a better look. The King’s face visibly paled. “Dipper, stay inside.”

 

“Grunkle Stan, what’s going on?”

 

“Stay inside, Dipper. No matter what you hear don’t come out” The older man removed his royal robe and climbed out of the carriage. The knight handed the king a spare sword and the door was slammed shut.

 

The cabin was quiet. Voices of the king and the royal guard outside were muffled and growing faint. The prince waited with bated breath. His skin prickled at the sudden feeling of something wrong. 

 

Screams and the flare of fire could be heard outside. Horses brayed and the cabin rocked at the sudden commotion, flinging the young prince to the floor of the cabin with a yell. The carriage jostled more as Stanley barked orders to the men. Swords were clashing and screeches Dipper never heard before pierced the air. The prince called out his Grunkle’s name when he heard the king scream in agony. Dipper reached for the door but stopped as the metal frame and door was ripped out. He fell back in surprise, exposed to whatever was attacking him, and he stared into the face of a shadowed beast.

 

He screamed out as it swiped at him, doing his best to dodge the claws. The creature grabbed a hold of his ankle and dragged the prince toward itself. Dipper was unprepared and his head smacked the floor of the cabin hard. His vision blurred as he moaned in pain. The last thing he remembered was a distorted cackle and blue flames. 


End file.
